Inter Milan sign Djed Spence from Tottenham to replace Denzel Dumfries

Inter Milan have their new fullback, and the name is no coincidence: Djed Spence signed with Italy's reigning champions from Tottenham, filling the gap left by Denzel Dumfries after his departure to Real Madrid earlier this same window.

Inter confirmed the deal on its official website, making clear this is a permanent transfer and not a loan with an option to buy, a distinction worth noting since that's not always the route clubs take in these deals. The club announced that the English wingback signed through June 30, 2031, a six-year contract that reflects real confidence in his upside.

Neither club released official figures, but it had already been known since the day before the announcement that the two sides had agreed on a fee close to 30 million pounds (roughly $40.5 million). Tottenham, for its part, kept an ace up its sleeve: the deal includes a 10 percent sell-on clause, so if Spence moves again down the road for a bigger fee, the Spurs will get their cut.

From Middlesbrough to Serie A

Spence's career path is an interesting one. He came through Fulham's youth ranks, but it was at Middlesbrough where he truly established himself before Tottenham signed him in 2022. Now, at 26, he faces a new challenge in Italy, joining a club that urgently needed to cover for Dumfries on the right side.

And he doesn't arrive as just another prospect. Spence played in all eight matches England featured in at the 2026 World Cup, a detail that helps explain why Inter chose to bet on him even though he wasn't always a guaranteed starter at Tottenham. For the Nerazzurri, bringing in a player with that level of international exposure and room to grow fits neatly with the idea of refreshing the fullback spot without sacrificing immediate competitiveness.

The move also shows how the European market operates in these windows: a player leaves for Real Madrid, and within weeks the club that lost him already has a permanent replacement lined up, no drama, no stopgap fixes. Inter needed certainty at that position, and it moved fast to get it.

The question now is how long it will take Spence to adjust to the physical, high intensity style of Serie A, a league whose tactical demands differ quite a bit from the Premier League. With such a long contract in hand, the Italian club is betting that adjustment period will translate into years of solid performance, not just a single trial season.